1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to holders for skis and ski poles and is particularly concerned with holders formed from straps that encircle skis and ski poles in a unique manner by being looped through elongated slots of a predetermined length to secure the narrow cross country skis and poles and hold them in an assembled compact condition.
2. Description of Related Art
The need for holders for skis and ski poles that will hold them in an assembled and compact condition for use, storage and transportation and the like has long been recognized. For the daily user it is important that the holder be quick and easy to use and store.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,348 issued to Luehne discloses a ski tying strap using a hook and loop type fastening means such "Velcro" to hold only the skis together. Unfortunately, this is not for use with holding both the skis and the ski poles.
Various devices are known in the art for holding skis and ski poles, but they are either too cumbersome, too expensive to manufacture, or too difficult to store. U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,234 issued to Moudry et al discloses a device for holding skis and ski poles together comprised of an elastic strap with a metal C-shaped clip at one end and a locking mechanism at the other. Ski poles are held by the C-shaped clips which are of a fixed size. Since different ski poles may vary slightly in diameter, the clips do not allow for easy interchangeability of pairs of ski poles with pairs of skis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,302 issued to Mazzoni, Jr. discloses a ski and ski pole carrying device which is equipped to be carried over the shoulder. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,530,695 and 3,920,166 issued to Helmert and Hogensen, Jr., respectively, disclose ski and ski pole carrying devices which are equipped to be carried either over the shoulder or around the waist. U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,711 issued to Wilkinson discloses an adjustable strap for carrying skis and ski poles with a hand held strap. All of these devices are much more cumbersome to store than the present invention for the everyday skier.
A variety of adjustable straps are well-known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,661 issued to Santy discloses a ski and ski pole holder comprised of a pair of straps sewn together in back-to-back fashion and having connected rings for adjusting the hold on the skis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,159 issued to Burrage discloses an adjustable plastic tie strap operable from either end for securing furled sails, bundles, closed bags and sacks and like combinations with a series of spaced rectangular openings to secure the objects together. This plastic tie does not double loop like the present invention and is not directed to the art of holding skis and ski poles.
Accordingly, a primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an easy, simple transport system for skis and ski poles that can also be utilized as a compact storage unit and is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.